"you should read me something you've written," corey broke the silence as they walked into the small restaurant.
dan shook his head quickly. "n-no thanks."
"what? why not?" corey smiled at the waiter as he lead them to their table.
"because im a sh-shitty writer and i-id really r-rather not," dan sat down, shifting nervously.
"please? i promise i won't judge you. just read me something you're most proud of. it doesn't have to be that long,"
dan sighed. "f-fine. th-this is something i wrote i-in my lit class f-fr-freshman year. so, it's kinda b-bad,"
corey grinned, catching his bottom lip between his teeth. "let's hear it, then."
dan took a deep breath, recalling the words he'd memorised all those years ago. he closed his eyes and began.
"i-i am a young m-mind still, sitting in th-the middle of this c-crowded room...surrounded by m-minds as young as mine, y-yet still livelier. i am a young mind, b-but an old soul. it's qu-quiet now, as e-ev-everyone is writing the same as i, b-but my mind screams, drowning in these thoughts, n-neverending. th-the minds of those a-around me are quiet, wh-whispering and m-murmuring to th-themselves. they're at p-peace."
dan opened his eyes, staring at his fingers as he continued, feeling more confident.
"as i sit here now, beside one of my best friends, my mind is muffled. i-i call upon hope," dan's voice grew stronger. "the brightest light to exist, eliminating the shadows that surround me.
"i call my mother, the only person in my life who has been here since day one, seen my raw, unfiltered self with her own eyes. i call on my closest friends, who know the hidden side of me, the ones who can quiet my mind when im unable to. and with them, i declare the end of holding on.
"i want to scream out, climb to the roof with a megaphone and shout for everyone to hear, 'this is the end! im done holding onto the dark past! it's time to let go! let yourself be happy!'
"souls like mine, tortured, tired, on the verge of giving up, are everywhere. the horrid thing is, not all of them have the strength to declare the end, like i.
"kids these days, they're killing themselves. their minds have become their own prison cells, trapping, blocking, refusing to liberate. sometimes, the bars are made of paper, and as you're thrown in, you're given a pair of scissors. others aren't so lucky. their bars are made of steel, and all they're given is a paperclip.
"so, when i climb up a tower, stand on a roof, and shout those same words, im not just doing it for me. im doing it for everyone who can hear.
"my words will echo in people's minds, and the steel bars will grow a door, and the paperclip, will become a key.
"i declare the end of this war going on in my mind. it's over now.
"but it's up to those who heard me, to save those who were too far away."
dan's cheeks immediately turned red as he looked back at corey, who stared back at him. "i-it's pretty a-awful, i-i'm sorry."
corey shook his head. "you did it again,"
dan's eyebrows furrowed. "what?"
"you didn't stutter." he breathed, licking his bottom lip.
dan's eyes flickered down to watch the action. fuck, how is that attractive? "o-oh,"
corey leaned forward, resting his chin in the palm of my hand. "that was beautiful, though. truly, truly beautiful."
dan's cheeks flushed. "th-thanks."
"no, but really." corey began, moving his chair closer to dan. "it was. that was amazing. it really reflects who you are as a person. i think it's safe to say that that little poem just made me fall for you a bit more."
dan's heart stuttered, his throat closing up. "wh-what?"
corey watched him closely. "yeah," he whispered. his hand raised to dan's face, cupping his jaw softly. "i kind of really want to kiss you right now." dan's brain stopped working. "is that okay?"
dan opened his mouth, only to realise he didn't know what to say. he gulped, staring at corey stare at his parted lips. dan nodded just enough for the boy to know it was okay, his mouth going dry as they leaned in slowly, before their lips collided.
their mouths slotted together nicely, and corey made a small noise in the back of his throat, pulling dan closer. dan's eyes closed gradually, ignoring the nagging voice that reminded him of phil. he pushed the thoughts away and tangled his fingers in corey's hair, smiling into the kiss.
i think it's safe to say i'm falling for you, too.
